


Tastebuds (Specifically Yours)

by jimingyu



Series: Tastebuds [1]
Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Complete, Fluff, M/M, Mentioned Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups, Rated T for swearing, Soulmate AU, attempted humor (?), bff/math tutor seokmin, mingyu being his puppy self, seokmin's just here for the show, wonwoo is a goober
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-29
Updated: 2017-08-29
Packaged: 2018-12-21 04:52:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11936715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jimingyu/pseuds/jimingyu
Summary: Whenever your soulmate thinks of you, you can taste what they're tasting. Sometimes it's pleasant. Sometimes it's literally the worst thing ever. Mingyu doesn't mind it, but he really thinks his soulmate should let loose and eat something sweet occasionally. Wonwoo, on the other hand, thinks his soulmate needs to get his sugar intake under control.





	Tastebuds (Specifically Yours)

**Author's Note:**

> hi, there! i'm ridiculously nervous about posting this, & idk if this kind of au has ever been written before, so here ya go! i apologize for any typos/grammar errors. i edited this very throughly, but there's alwasy a chance that i missed something. feel free to leave kudos/comments, & come visit me on twitter if you wanna recommend something i should write/read! tysm for reading, & i hope you have a great day/night! ^^  
> ~ cj

         Mingyu preferred sweets. Like, _really_ preferred sweets. He basically lived off of pastries and frozen treats, even though you couldn't tell from his physique- he wanted to keep it that way, too. He would describe himself as a conessuier of sorts; specifically of ice cream and cookies. _God,_ he loved cookies. He thanked all the gods he could think of everyday for giving him the skill of baking. Every weekday morning, he was woken up by the soft melody of his alarm, and the taste of sugar on his tongue. His soulmate had come to know his tastes very well. For as long as he could remember, the sweetness had hardly ever left his lips. When he was younger, -and still today- his soulmate would make him try something salty or savory, two tastes Mingyu was rather unfamiliar with. As a way of commmuncating whether he liked it or not, Mingyu would take a sip of apple juice (his favorite), water (eh, could be better), or milk (dear lord, make it stop). Over the years, Mingyu had also learned the eating habits of his soulmate: he leaned towards meat and carbs. Mingyu didn't mind all of the bread and pasta, (this person has to be lethargic _all the time_ ) but the meat became a bit much at times. Mingyu didn't eat meat very often, but he did eat it. It was something his mother tormented him about for years, (" _Son, if you don't eat, you'll end up a twig like your grandfather!_ ") so he had grown accustomed to eating meat once or twice a week out of habit. His soulmate, however, was some sort of primal beast, because he ate meat neary every day. If Mingyu ever met this person, he would be half tempted to call him a carnivore. He assumed his soulmate was a male just because of his diet. Either a man, or a woman much bigger than him. That thought didn't scare him as much as you would think. He was used to his mother and her super-human strength and looks that could kill. Honestly, he didn't care if his soulmate was a man or a woman, he just wanted more clues to find them. For now, though, he was content to wake up to the taste of syrup, and make pasta on Sundays to return the favor.

~

            It was a Tuesday when Mingyu woke up to a strange taste in his mouth. It wasn't the slip of morning breath that he sometimes experienced when his soulmate thought of him before breakfast. No, this was much worse. "Bathwater?" Mingyu mumbled to himself, taking a drink of water. "No, bathwater wouldn't taste this dirty." He took a few more drinks to rid himself of the taste, but it just would not go away. With a shake of his head, Mingyu threw his blankets aside, and went to get the one thing he knew was guaranteed to make his soulmate stop eating this god-awful thing: _popsicles._ His soulmate was one of those people with hyper-sensitive teeth, and they made it very clear by literally _chugging_ milk anytime Mingyu ate anything too cold. As soon as Mingyu popped the flavored ice into his mouth, the dirty taste was gone, replaced by a swig of apple juice. Mingyu cooed around the popsicle, and thought, "Awh, he's apologizing." That thought was quickly replaced by negative ones when his soulmate took a huge drink of milk.

 

"Bastard." Mingyu spoke, sucking harder on the popsicle as revenge. "Excuse me?" Mingyu's mother called, stepping into the dining area, looking ready to take on the day. "I certainly hope that wasn't directed at me, young man. Why aren't you dressed for school yet? And _why_ are you eating a popsicle at 7:00am?" Mingyu chuckles while placing the box of popsicles back into the freezer. "Of course it wasn't, Mom. My soulmate decided to drink dishwater or something this morning. I had to eat a whole popsicle to make him stop!" Mingyu's mother had always been very amused by her son's soulmate's antics. The system of communication the two had developed was dear to her, and she could see that her son was already quite smitten with his soulmate. She smiled fondly at Mingyu before kissing him on the cheek, saying her goodbye for the day. "And don't be late for school today!" she bellowed, gathering her purse and keys. Mingyu only rolled his eyes at her retreating figure because, "I'm perpetually late, Mom! It's no use to try and stop something the world intended to happen!" to which he recieved an even more dramatic eyeroll, and a quiet, "Love you," before his mother pulled the door shut behind her.

 

What Mingyu had said was a famous line from _The Taste of Your Future_ , a horrid book on the study of soulmates that every person is required to read when they reach grade school. The book it's self was absolute bullshit, but Mingyu cared about his grades. Therefore; he read the entire book, and wrote an incredible, but hurried, essay over it and tried not to think about it ever again. Of course, like many of his other plans, that didn't work out. He was in the middle of his third year of high school, and the damn book still entered his thoughts whenever there was a free space. As a result of his constant thinking about soulmates, Mingyu began studying the logistics of it, and could tell you pretty much any origin story you wanted to hear. The one that involves coconuts falling from trees and rewiring the brains of humans? No problem. Or maybe the one about the woman who was forced to eat a cursed fruit that allowed her to taste only what her "soulmate" tasted? Easy-peasy. There were hundreds of origin stories, and it was a widely accepted standard to teach them to children as if they were religion. But the thing that always bothered Mingyu was this: _none of the origin stories made sense_. None of them! For years, Mingyu tried to figure it out, but most people thought it to be something that "just happened" or a "miracle". Mingyu believed neither of those theories, because,

1\. it was ridiculously inconvienient, and inconvieniences were no miracle in his book;

2\. things like that don't _just happen_!

There was no evidence behind anything; no documents, no medical records, _nothing_. For the longest time, Mingyu would just get mad whenever his soulmate thought of him because, " _They can taste my tongue, but they don't know my name? I really hate that, Mom_." Obviously, he grew to accept it with time. Mingyu had come to the conclusion that his soulmate was a very hopeful and considerate person, and he admired that. One of the tips to meeting your soulmate given by _The Taste Of Your Future_ is this:

" _Be open-minded and accepting of everyone you meet. You never know who might have you on their mind_." Mingyu had lived the past six years of his life with that statement ringing in his ears. He could only hope that his soulmate felt the same way.

~

            Calculus is the devil, Mingyu is convinced. "It looks good on your transcript," is what Mingyu tells himself whenever he wants to bang his head off his desk. It's what he's telling himself right now since he's on his way to the library for tutoring.

Seokmin, a very bubbly and kind-hearted _blessing_ , had volunteered to tutor him after Mingyu had _actually_ banged his head off his desk during a test. Mingyu had initially declined, saying that he didn't want to inconvienience anyone, but Seokmin insisted that he needed more extracurricular credits that could be earned from tutoring. So, now, they met in the libarary after school three times a week, and Seokmin would help Mingyu with Calculus, while Mingyu helped Seokmin with Literature and History. Seokmin was quite literally his life-saver during Pre-Calc the previous year, when Mingyu had decided that _dying_ seemed like a better option than taking his Pre-Calc final. Seokmin tutored the shit out of Mingyu after that, and he managed an 87% on his final, which qualified him to take Calculus the next year. (Mingyu cried when he heard that, but he told Seokmin they were happy tears.)

~

       It was nearing 6:30pm when Mingyu began complaining of being fed up with Calc and _hangry._ One bag of M &M's was not enough to hold him over until 9:00pm. "Seokminnnn," Mingyu groaned for the third time. Seokmin was counting. "Can we _pretty please_ order a pizza or something before I die of math poisoning?" Seokmin snorted before laying a hand on Mingyu's hunched back. "Yes, but it's Wednesday, so you're paying, my young padawan." They had developed a system of taking turns paying for food or bringing snacks so neither of them were broke or hungry. Mingyu groaned, and Seokmin smiled, noting groan number four in his head. "Do you want the usual?" Mingyu asked, digging through his bag for his wallet, and counting how much cash he had when he found it. $23.14. Nice. Seokmin hummed as Mingyu dialed the number of the closest pizza place- he had memorized both the number and Seokmin's preferences, but he would never admit it.

"Fifteen minutes." Mingyu mumbled, earning a nod from Seokmin. They went back to their homework, and Seokmin counted two more groans from Mingyu. Ten minutes passed in the quiet library before a small figure came through the door, and took a seat at the table across from Mingyu and Seokmin. The person was obviously male (Mingyu could tell from the lack of hips), and Mingyu vaguely recognized the boy, but he couldn't put a name to the sharp features- seriously, _sharp;_ sharp eyes, sharp bone structure, sharp, sculpted eyebrows, hell, even his _lips_ looked sharp. "Seokmin, who's that?" Mingyu aksed, too curious and frustrated wiht not being able to remember the boy. "Him?" Seokmin questioned, pointing at the boy, which earned him a scolding, " _Pointing is rude, Seok_."

"I think his name is Wonwoo," Seokmin said, ignoring Mingyu's pouting face. "He's a year above us. He's the one who alwasy brings snacks to Ceramics." Mingyu despised Ceramics (he could paint and draw, but he _could not_ create pottery), and he vividly remembered every sound in the classroom to drown out the teacher's incessant teasing, " _I guess we've found something you aren't good at, Mingyu!_ " Of course he remembered the crackling of a snack being opened every day at exactly 12:15pm. Mingyu had actually become very suspicious of Wonwoo for awhile becuase his soulmate tended to eat around the same time. He had even gone as far as sneaking popsicles into the refrigerator in the teacher's lounge. It had earned him no reaction though, so Mingyu quickly dropped the idea and dealt with his friends calling him a "hopeless romantic". It was a shame though, because Wonwoo was stunning, and incredibly smart from what Mingyu understood. "I think he's a friend of Seungcheol's. Why don't you go talk to him?" Seokmin whispered absentmindedly. Both turned their heads at the sound of the door opening again. "It just wasn't meant to be, Seok." Mingyu shurgged. Seokmin only grinned at the other, knowing about the affinity he had with Wonwoo. He wasn't blind; anyone could see that Mingyu was interested in the boy, but he didn't have the courage to actually talk to him.

Seokmin sighed as Mingyu sat the pizza between them. He briefly saw Mingyu's eyes roam his face before he said, "You're thinking too hard again, Seok. You've got a little number eleven on your forehead." He then pressed his thumb between Seokmin's eyebrows, gently massaging the area where he knew Seokmin got headaches most often. Mingyu was such a good person, and it killed Seokmin that he didn't have more friends. He was so gentle and observant, and no one but Seokmin saw that. That thought is what provoked him to open his eyes and ask, "Mingyu, why don't you go ask Wonwoo to join us?" The shock on Mingyu's face almost, _almost,_ made Seokmin coo, because, _dammit_ , Mingyu was one of the most expressive people he had ever met. The shock was quickly replaced with a soft smile, and a whispered,

" _Okay_."

~

               "You're not proposing, Mingyu. You're asking if he wants some pizza." Mingyu mumbled to himself as he went over to where Wonwoo was seated. He tapped the boy lightly on the shoulder, trying hard not to scare him since he had headphones on. Wonwoo turned slowly, removing both earbuds, and smiling when he saw Mingyu. "Hi, Mingyu," he said, smile still present, and _holy shit,_ it was so _bright_. His teeth reminded Mingyu of a brand new white crayon: perfect, untouched, but still so natural, and he momentarily reprimanded himself for having such a weird thought. His voice, _oh god_ , his _voice_ , and the way he said Mingyu's name made him never want to hear it from anyone else ever again. Dear god, Mingyu had forgotten how _infatuated_ he was with this boy. "Did you need something?" Wonwoo inquired, bringing Mingyu back to earth, and to the realization of, _oh my god he knows my name_. "Oh, yeah! Um, hi, I'm Mingyu. I'm in your ceramics class!" Wonwoo snapped his fingers and pointed to Mingyu as if he had just realized how he knew Mingyu. "So, you must be the Kim Mingyu who's apparently good at everything except ceramics, and eats lollipops like they're going out of style," Wonwoo's smile widened and Mingyu wanted to _scream._ "That would be me! Though I'm not so sure about the being 'good at everything' part," Mingyu laughed, thinking of all the things he wasn't good at: pie-eating contests, seeing without his contacts, writing with his right hand. "And you must be the Jeon Wonwoo who is pretty much a pottery prodigy, and eats beef sticks like you're afraid someone will take them from you." Wonwoo laughed at that, and Mingyu knew that flowers were blooming somewhere because of it.

"Anywho, my friend Seokmin and I ordered some food since we're gonna be here for awhile. Would you like to join us?" Mingyu finishes, motioning towards Seokmin and the pizza. Wonwoo smiles, and Mingyu's heart attempts to launch it's self out of his chest. "I'd love to." That went much better than Mingyu planned.

 

~

 

                By 9:00pm, Mingyu was convinced that Wonwoo was the brightest person he'd ever met. Not only physically, ( _god,_ his _smile;_ his _eyes_ ) but Wonwoo was also very smart. In the few hours they'd been studying together, Mingyu had learned that Wonwoo could fly through Calculus faster than Seokmin,- and possibly faster than their professor- he was a poetic genius, and was planning to study creative writing in college, and he aso enjoyed singing in his free time. Basically, Wonwoo was what Mingyu's dreams are made of. Their conversation was flowing smoothly until Seokmin suddenly ran towards the nearest bathroom. Mingyu didn't question it, knowing exactly what was wrong. "Is he okay? Should we call an ambulance?" Wonwoo asked, clearly very worried about Seokmin's well-being. Mingyu chuckled lightly at his concerned expression and shook his head. "He'll be okay. His soulmate's family eats exotic foods every Wednesday, and Seokmin usually always hates it, but his soulmate still makes him try it. He must've lost track of time, or he would've been in the bathroom before it hit him." Wonwoo's lips formed a silent ' _O'_ before he spoke. "I understand that. My soulmate and I have a similiar problem, but we've developed a communication system for when one of us doesn't like something." Mingyu choked on his apple juice. While he coughed, and tried his hardest not to die when he felt Wonwoo rubbing small circles on his back, he found that he had given himself the perfect opportunity to figure out how to word his next question without sounding _massively_ creepy. " _Plenty of people create communication systems with their soulmates. It's probably just a coincidence._ " Mingyu told himself as his coughing came to an end. He almost wanted to keep coughing so Wonwoo would keep rubbing his back. "You okay?" Wonwoo asked. Mingyu wanted so badly to replace his concerned expression with a happy one, that he couldn't bring himself to say "No" in this situation. Not that he would, anyway. He nodded quickly, muttering a "Thank you" to Wonwoo before asking, "What kind of communication system do you and your soulmate have?" Mingyu could see Wonwoo's shouldes visibly relax at the thought of his soulamte, and Mingyu was suddenly _very_ aware of the peppers on the pizza they had eaten. Wonwoo's shoulders loosened, and his lips lifted into a grin. "It's actually kind of funny," Wonwoo giggled.

 _Fucking giggled_.

Mingyu is now, what Seokmin would call, a "goner". "We have very different tastes, so whenever I make them try something they don't like, they drink milk to tell me they don't like it. It's the same way with things they do like, only they drink apple juice instead. Why do you ask?" If Seokmin didn't reenter at that very moment, looking very pale and pissed off, Mingyu would've burst into tears. "Sorry about that. My soulmate's eating squid of some kind, and it was disgusting." Seokmin trembled at the memory. Wonwoo chuckled and patted Seokmin's shoulder. "The same thing happened to me the other day! I just got back from a vacation, but while I was there, I ate squid and didn't realize it was early morning here. My soulmate was not happy." Wonwoo continued to laugh, but Seokmin saw Mingyu's face turn pale, remembering the incident of Mingyu waking up to the taste of something similiar to dishwater. Squid would definitely match that description, and Mingyu was terrified by that thought. Happy, but terrified. He cleared his throat as he looked at the time on his phone: 9:37pm. He needed to get home anyway.

"I'm gonna head home. I'll see you guys tomorrow." Mingyu stated blankly, gathering his things. "Hey, Mingyu?" Wonwoo grasped Mingyu's hand in his own as Mingyu turned to leave. "Could I possibly have your number?" Mingyu blinked a few times, attempting to comprehend the question. Jeon Wonwoo just asked _him_ , Kim Mingyu, _for his number_. **Oh, hell**. Mingyu quietly took his phone from his pocket and went to his contacts before handing it to the other boy. Wonwoo smiled, (he literally _radiated_ warmth. What the hell.) and entered his info into Mingyu's phone with a mumbled, "I'll text you." Mingyu smiled and felt his shoulders untense a bit. He sent a glare towards Seokmin that said, " _Don't you dare say a word, or I'll fling your ass all the way to the Atlantic."_ Okay, maybe not that specific, but he got the jist. Mingyu left the library that night full of three things:

1\. Fear

2\. Hope

3\. Pizza

 

~

 

                Mingyu had only been home long enough to change his clothes and wash his face before he heard his phone vibrate on his nightstand. He decided the person could wait until after he'd brushed his teeth and found his copy of _The Taste Of Your Future_. Flopping onto his bed with the book in his hands, Mingyu read the message:

 **Unknown Number:** hey, it's wonwoo. just wanted to make sure you were okay. you seemed a little shaken up when you left :(

  
**Me:** hi, wonwoo. i'm okay; just remembered something i have to do for tomorrow. no big deal :)

Mingyu saved Wonwoo's number, and turned to the chapter in the book titled, _ **"** When You Find Your Soulmate"_. He began to read:

_"Congratulations! It seems that you have found your soulmate! A few things will now happen based on your situation. First, let's determine in what way you found each other: 1. Your soulmate found you (pg. 270) 2. You found your soulmate (pg. 272) 3. You found each other (pg. 274)"_

Mingyu's phone flashed the name "Jeon Wonwoo" beside him.

 **Jeon Wonwoo:** ohh, okay. i was afraid i freaked you out talking about my soulmate. i know some people are sensitive about that stuff, and i had forgotten to ask if you were ;-;

Mingyu smiled fondly at his phone, and thought briefly about how love sick he probably looked, but couldn't bring himself to care. Wonwoo was so genuinely sweet, and it kind of made Mingyu want to hold him and never let go.

  
**Me** : noo, you didn't freak me out! i'm not sensitive about soulmate stuff at all! i'm pretty interested in it, actually ^.^

Mingyu sat his phone back down and tried to focus on page 272:

  
_"So, you found your soulmate, but they don't know it? Here's a guide of everything your soulmate will be experiencing:_

_\- Fever -Headaches -Nausea/Vomiting_

_-Chills -Convulsions -Numbness of the Tongue_

_-Loss of Appetite -Tremors -Drowsiness_

_-Temporary Loss of Taste -Stomach Ache_

_All of these symptoms are completely normal. The body is going through a change to be connected with it's life partner! During this time, it is vital that you reveal yourself to your soulmate if you haven't already. Their body will begin to crave you presence, and the pain of sickness can only be lessened by you."_

Mingyu sighed and closed the book. He hadn't remembered the symptoms being so bad. He could only hope that Wonwoo didn't hate him after this.

 

~

 

                  Mingyu had been ridiculously nervous all day long. He tried to go about his day as normally as possible, but he couldn't forget the fact that he hadn't seen Wonwoo at all. Not in the library, not at lunch, and now not in ceramics. 12:15pm rolled around and Mingyu's tongue tasted no different, and he knew something was wrong. He had texted Wonwoo earlier and received no answer, but he was so worried that he didn't care about his embarassing texts at this point.

 **Me:** wonwoo, are you okay? seokmin and i are worried about you ;-;

He threw Seokmin's name in there with hopes of sounding less like a clingy boyfriend, and more like a concerned acquaintance. " _Boyfriend"_ Mingyu mouthed the word to himself and a shiver ran down the length of his spine. The words "boyfriend" and "Wonwoo" simply belonged together in Mingyu's mind. Too lost in thought, Mingyu nearly jumped out of his chair when his phone vibrated loudly on his desk. His teacher would later tell him that he did jump out of his chair, and she hardly avoided a heart attack because of it.

 **Jeon Wonwoo:** good afternoon, gyu :) sorry i didn't answer sooner, but i just woke up. i got really sick last night and decided to stay home today :/ i'm feeling a bit better now, though!!

  
Mingyu released a breath he didn't realize he was holding. Wonwoo was okay. Very sick, but alive, and Mingyu knew he had to see him.

 

 **Me:** ahh, i'm so glad you're okay! i always expect the worst lol. would you mind if i come see you later? i could bring your homework and stuff ^-^

 

"I also need to tell you that you're my soulmate, and I'm the reason why you're sick." Mingyu whispered to himself. Three more hours of school.

 

 **Jeon Wonwoo** : sure! :] as long as you promise not to get too close to me so you don't catch what i have! ;)

 

Mingyu glared at the clock on his phone. 2 hours and 57 minutes and he could go see Wonwoo. He could do that. Hopefully.

 

~

 

                  Alright, so he couldn't do it. It wasn't his fault that his last class of the day was a free period, and Wonwoo had been texting him all day! ( _"gyu, you're going to be horrible at calculus forever if you don't pay attention"_ ) The second Wonwoo had sent Mingyu his address, he knew that he would be skipping his study period; there was no question about it. Now, he was walking quickly towards Wonwoo's house two reasons:

  
1\. He really, really wanted to see Wonwoo

  
2\. It was fucking raining

  
Mingyu stood on the porch of a two-story, light green house and double checked the address before ringing the doorbell. He stuck his cold hands back into his pockets and thought about how he was going to explain this whole situation to Wonwoo. " _What if he doesn't believe me_?" Mingyu wondered silently. " _Oh, god, what if he rejects me?_ " Now he was scared, and convinced that this was his worst idea yet this week, and he had contemplated filling his bathtub with Skittles just two days ago. The door opened to reveal a tall, lithe woman with eyes as sharp as Wonwoo's. Mingyu wanted to bolt back into the rain. "You must be Mingyu! I'm Wonwoo's mother, but you can call me Yoosung, or mom. Whichever. Come in, dear. You'll catch a cold standing in the rain!" The woman, Yoosung, ushered him inside and took his jacket before pointing him in the direction of Wonwoo's bedroom. "I know he probably told you not to get to close to him, but I wouldn't worry about it. His soulmate has found him, and he hasn't realized it yet. He's not contagious, but I'm sure you already knew that, Mingyu." Yoosung winked at him and smiled knowingly, while Mingyu tried to keep his jaw from dropping to the floor.

"H-how did you know?" Mingyu asked. He wasn't even sure yet if Wonwoo was really his soulmate, but this woman acted as if she'd known all along. "Stunned" wasn't a strong enough word for what he was feeling, and his mind was far too foggy with thoughts of Wonwoo to think of a more powerful synonym. "You think I can't tell when my own son is in love? Besides, Wonwoo hasn't spoken a word that doesn't have to do with you for a week." Mingyu nearly choked on his own spit. Or swallowed his tongue. One of those things. Wonwoo hadn't stopped talking about him? He could only believe that because Mingyu had done some pretty embarassing things in the short time they'd known each other. Spitting a pea halfway across the lunchroom would be high quality storytelling material for anyone. But Wonwoo being in love with him? It was more likely that Mingyu would change his name to Cinderella and move to Wisconsin. "You said his room is on the right?"

 

~

 

                     Mingyu had never been more thankful for his light feet than his was at that moment. If he didn't already think Wonwoo was an angel, this sight would've convinced him. He was laying facing the door, his cheek squished against his palm, and his legs tangled in a blanket that was much too big for his small body. His skin lacked the warm, healthy glow it usually possessed, and Mingyu felt _so bad_ for doing this to him. He took a few careful steps towards Wonwoo, and saw a half eaten bowl of soup, and a cup of cold tea. He was going to treat Wonwoo to the _best meal ever_ once he felt better. A couple more steps, and Mingyu was kneeling in front of Wonwoo, feeling his breath on his face in broken puffs, and watching his eyes flutter in his sleep. Mingyu was absolutely _enamored._ When his little sister was born, Mingyu thought that he would never be as encaptured with a human ever again. He was _so_ wrong. Mingyu carded a light hand through the hair sticking to Wonwoo's forehead, not wanting to wake the sleeping beauty just yet. Wonwoo definitely still had a fever, and Mingyu just wanted to hold him until he was well again.

"I'm sorry, Wonwoo," Mingyu whispered quietly. "I know you didn't ask to be my soulmate, or to be sick, and I'm sorry that you got both of those things." Mingyu traced the curve of Wonwoo's jaw with one finger. What had he done to be gifted someone so _wonderful?_ He lightly cupped Wonwoo's cheek in his palm and simply listened to him breathe, hopeful that his presence would lessen his sickness. Mingyu could hear his chest rattling with every breath, and it broke his heart. As much as he didn't want to, Mingyu had to wake Wonwoo up in order for him to feel better sooner. He tapped Wonwoo's cheek softly, and contemplated placing a kiss on his forehead, but quickly decided against it. "Wonwoo~." he called out, tapping his cheek again. Wonwoo released a weak groan and a cough before prying one eye open. He waved to Mingyu as he stretched and let out some more guttural noises. Mingyu could _smell_ the sickness as the boy moved, but he didn't care. He was so entranced with Wonwoo, that the earth could cave in around them, and he'd only be _slightly_ panicking while staring at Wonwoo.

"Why you lookin' at me like 'at?" said boy asked. His voice was significatly higher pitched and rougher due to his stuffy nose. Mingyu wasn't able to formulate an actual response until Wonwoo flicked him on the forehead. Mingyu flinched away, but quickly leaned back towards Wonwoo with a smile. "I'm just really glad you're okay." Wonwoo was looking at him with such affection in his eyes, and Mingyu couldn't wait any longer. "Hey, Wonwoo," Mingyu brsuhed a few stray hairs from Wonwoo's face, and he hummed in response, leaning into the touch. A surge of confidence coursed through Mingyu at full speed as his thumb made small circles on Wonwoo's cheek. Yeah, he could wake up to this for the rest of his life.

_**"You're my soulmate."** _

Wonwoo's eyes shot open, and he sucked in a breath so huge that Mingyu wondered momentarily how his lungs could hold that much air. He searched Mingyu's face for a moment before sitting up slowly. Mingyu leaned up on his knees, reaching for Wonwoo's hand and trying to contain his anxious movements. Wonwoo hadn't given any indication as to what he was feeling, so Mingyu just intertwined their fingers and waited patiently. He kept his eyes focused on Wonwoo's thin fingers, and the contrast between his pale skin, and his own dark complexion. Mingyu never knew he could find someone's hands so _perfect._

Wonwoo gave Mingyu's hand a gentle squeeze, and Mingyu finally looked up at him. Wonwoo was smiling down at him, and it was so dazzlingly bright that Mingyu was tempted to squint so he could look straight at Wonwoo. He was also crying. Wonwoo was shedding silent tears, and Mingyu quickly brought his other hand up to wipe them away. Just as Mingyu was about to ask if everything was okay, Wonwoo spoke up: "My mom wanted to know if you liked her tacos last week." Mingyu only laughed as he untangled their their hands that found the other's cheeks- a feature of Wonwoo's that Mingyu would come to love _a lot_. Neither of them could keep the smiles from their faces as Mingyu leaned in and whispered against Wonwoo's lips, " _Tell your mom that I loved the tacos._ "

 

~

 

                  Seokmin _screamed_. "Ha! Wonwoo, you owe me $20!" Mingyu looked sideways at Wonwoo, who was blushing furiously, (Mingyu _fucking melted)_ and asked, "Did you guys bet on whether or not we were soulmates?" Seokmin was trying so hard to contain his giggles, and Wonwoo looked like he wanted the earth to swallow him whole. Neither of those things were a success. "He said, and I quote," Seokmin began, imitating Wonwoo's baritone voice very badly, " _'There is no way that enormous puppy of a human is my soulmate_ ', to which, I responded, ' _Bet_ '. And we did." Seokmin had that shit-eating grin on his face, and Wonwoo curled into Mingyu's side self-consciously and muttered, "I'm sorry, Gyu." Mingyu wrapped his arms around Wonwoo's shoulders and kissed his forehead before sending a glare to Seokmin. " _You're gonna die at my hands_." he mouthed, and Seokmin immediately turned and exited the library. Mingyu already had such a strong need to protect Wonwoo, and he'd be damned if he felt that he'd done something wrong because of a bet.

"Wonwoo," Mingyu said softly, lifting Wonwoo's chin to look at him. He kissed his forehead once more, (he knew that calmed Wonwoo down) and moved to kiss both his cheeks, (Wonwoo had such full cheeks, but such sharp features, and Mingyu wanted to know _how_ ) he pecked the tip of his nose, (even his _nose_ was perfect to Mingyu. _What the hell._ ) Lastly, Mingyu left a sweet kiss on Wonwoo's lips. Wonwoo tasted like everything good he had made Mingyu taste over the years, and Mingyu couldn't help but think that he tasted like _home._ He pulled away and saw Wonwoo smiling gently at him. "So, you think I'm a puppy, huh?" Mingyu teased. The tension left Wonwoo's muscles at that, and he knew he had nothing to worry about. His soulmate would never be upset with him over something so trivial. Mingyu was smiling so widely at him, and Wonwoo replied, "Yeah, I think you resemble a puppy. Both in your looks and your personality," Wonwoo's smile faltered a bit. "I'm sorry that we made a bet on something serious. At the time, it sounded completely outrageous that someone like _you_ would be my soulmate." Mingyu was very confused by that statement. "Someone like me?" he questioned. "You know. You're so-" Wonwoo waved his hands in Mingyu's general direction. "And I'm so-" he gestured vaguely towards himself. Oh, no. _Ohh, no, no, no_. Mingyu could not have this. No way was the most i _ncredible_ person on the _planet_ going to feel self-conscious on his watch. Nuh-uh.

Mingyu turned Wonwoo's chair so he was completely facing him, and took both his hands in his own. "Wonwoo, I can tell you with full confidence that I have no idea what I did to deserve you. There was probably a bet involved; I don't know. But I can tell you that I know you- the most _wonderful, intelligent, stunning_ person on this earth- deserve the world. And if I am your idea of 'the world', then I will do my best to be what you deserve." Mingyu never wanted to forget the way Wonwoo looked at him in that moment. Love, trust, and pure affection bloomed in his irises, and Mingyu could only hope that his own expression was reflecting the warmth he was feeling. The sudden taste of tangerines bursted on Mingyu's tongue- something Wonwoo loved, and he knew it was true.

" _ **The final taste of your soulmate before they become a permanent part of you will be an explosion of color, flavor, and unfortgettable emotions that will connect you to them for all of eternity."**_

That was how to books described it. It wasn't quite as grand, but Mingyu knew that he would never forget how he felt in this moment. Wonwoo slid his hands up Mingyu's arms to rest on his shoulders. "Kim Mingyu," he whispered, leaning to bump their noses together, making their smiles widen impossibly further. " _I am absolutely enraptured by you_." Wonwoo kissed him slowly, and Mingyu felt his heart pound in his chest, it's rhythym syncing with Wonwoo's the way all the children's books say it does. Mingyu pulled him closer, and he couldn't think of anything he'd rather do than spend his entire life with the taste of tangerines on his lips, and Wonwoo right before his eyes.

~

**Author's Note:**

> thank you again for reading! i hope you enjoyed reading this as much as i enjoyed writing it! ^-^
> 
> twt, cc: @triptyvh
> 
> ~ cj


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